Discussions
by Mistri Tonks' Admirer
Summary: One Shot: Dec2004Jan2005 combined Story Challenge for harryandtonks. Harry and Tonks are together for Christmas - Remus catches them on New Years Day.


**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. This story contains references from all five books, mainly in flashbacks and memories. I own nothing but the plot and a few unknown characters that may pop up.

**Explanatory Notes:** December Story Challenge/January Story Challenge for harryandtonks (formerly PHGE): A 'Harry' Christmas/Interesting Beginning of a New Year. Any rating and no word count limit.

December:

It's the Christmas hols, but Harry isn't spending it anywhere he has before. Things are tense and he's unsure if he's going to make it through to the new year. Tonks isn't sure how to handle this latest development, but she's going to try.

Required phrases in a story:

"That's what you meant."

"There's only one way you're getting out of this."

January:

It was one hell of a New Year's celebration. Too bad Harry has already broken his resolution to stay away from Tonks. As if that wasn't bad enough, why did it have to be Remus to be the one to see them like this!

Required phrases in a story:

"Exactly what are you two doing?"

"It's a really fun game, honest."

**Rating:** PG-13. Beware of inane silliness.

**Discussions   
By: Mistri, Cho's Observer, Tonks' Admirer**

Sunday, 21st December, 1997.

"Who's brilliant idea was it for me to spend the Christmas holidays _here_?" asked Harry, gesturing around the hotel penthouse suite in obvious distaste. "And where are we?"

"We're somewhere in the isolated continental island of Australia," said Tonks, poking her head out of the shower. "As for who's idea this was ... do you want to hex them or thank them?"

"What difference does it make?" growled Harry.

"Well, if you want to hex them, I'll say Severus. If you want to thank them, I'll say me," she said, ducking back into the shower, emerging wrapped in a towel. "Come on, Harry, it's not all bad."

"Oh yeah?" Harry said.

"You're alone with me," Tonks said seductively. "And I can become anything you want."

"Any other time," said Harry, shaking his head. "Any other time I would have just grabbed you and screwed the hell out of you. But not now, Tonks. You and I both know we're out here so Voldemort doesn't find me. And he still could. If people were taking bets on how long I'd live ... well, I know Colin has said I have a fifty percent chance of making it to the next day. That means my chances right now are zero point zero four nine percent of making it to next year!"

"Ouch," said Tonks. "But are you sure Colin has the chances calculated right?"

"Given that Voldemort has his Death Eaters flipping a coin as to whether they storm Hogwarts or not looking for me - and thank Merlin it's only looking for me - that's a fifty percent chance that they'll come," said Harry.

"Yeah, but I'd give you eighty percent chances of escaping capture, due to your knowledge and other factors," said Tonks. "That means that your actual chances of making it to the next day are sixty-two point five percent. Which means your chances of making it to the next year are actually zero point five six eight percent."

"Wow. What improved chances," said Harry, flopping onto his bed again.

Tonks was unsettled at this change in Harry. She had heard that Harry had changed quite drastically when Voldemort had changed his tactics and started sending Death Eaters into Hogwarts, the only standing orders to get Harry Potter and stun anyone who tried to stop them. She had long wondered why Harry had changed, at last coming to the conclusion that this was proof Voldemort wasn't going to stop until he had Harry. And Harry at last was coming to face his own real mortality ... and was undoubtably not finding it to his liking.

Well, what could she do? He wasn't interested in shagging her ... at least, not at this time. Scratch option one. On reflection, there wasn't much at all to do here. Except shag.

_Oh, stop thinking about shagging, willya!_ she shouted internally.

"Well, we're going to be stuck here for a bit, Harry. What do you want to do? And please don't say nothing," she asked.

"But there's nothing to do here, Tonks," Harry pointed out reasonably. "I might want to say, go jump on a trampoline, but there's no point in saying that as we cannot procure one. I have to think of something to do that involves minimal magic and will allow us to stay in this penthouse suite. And there is nothing to do except sit around and do nothing. There's nothing but garbage on the television, or we could watch that."

"Well, what about a video?" asked Tonks. "We could go to the inhotel video place?"

"It's too freaking hot!" complained Harry.

Tonks nodded. "I know. That's why I've been in the shower. A little magic to make continual water flow and you can stay in there for hours without actually wasting a drop." She gathered her long hair back, streaking it pink and blue and adding even more length to it.

"Doesn't long hair make it harder to keep your hair washed?" asked Harry.

"Not if you're a Metamorphmagus!" said Tonks. "I shorten it to wash it, then lengthen it to make me look good!"

"Oh, you look good indeed," said Harry. "Go try it on someone who might actually be around in a couple of years, why don't you?"

"Harry," Tonks said, before muttering to herself, "there's only one way you're getting out of this." She dropped her towel and pinned Harry to the ground, focusing on the shocked expression. "I've cornered you, Harry and now, you're going to listen to a few things."

Harry was silent.

"Voldemort might be after you, yes," she said. "But that's no reason to give up, Harry. You have to live, and be happy, and go on as you would were Voldemort not around. He wants to win, Harry. So we don't let him win."

And with that, she rolled off him and stalked away.

Harry's mind slowly worked and finally, he muttered, "That's what you meant. Alright then. Let's play it your way."

Wednesday, December 31st, 1997.

"I hereby resolve to stay away from Tonks," Harry muttered to himself. He went looking for Tonks, to tell her this - a bad decision made by the several glasses of Butterbeer and Firewhiskey he had consumed.

"Tonks, I have hereby resolved to stay away from you," he said. "You are dangerous and will not allow me to deal with this threat of Voldemort in a sane way."

"Harry, you're drunk," she said.

"I may be under the affluence of incohol, but I'm not so think as you drunk I am!" Harry said. "I know what I'm doing. I have to fight Voldieshorts, he keeps coming after me, and I will deal with it as I see fit! I do not need the harping you have been giving me for the past ten days!"

"Harry, if I care about you, then I will 'harp'!"

"Come on," Harry said, suddenly changing the subject. "Let's play a drinking game. It's a real fun game, honest!"

Against her better judgement, Tonks joined in.

Thursday, 1st January, 1998.

"Exactly what are you two doing?" came Remus' voice. "And may I join in?"

Harry and Tonks swam back into consciousness, finding themselves bereft of clothes and littered with empty Firewhiskey bottles.

"You wanna join in," said Tonks drowsily. "Here!" She handed him a full bottle. Remus took a swig and then sat down.

"Where are your clothes?"

"We took them off," said Harry. "I was teaching Harry how to change into another form. He looks good, doesn't he?"

"Tonks," said Remus. "You and Harry have metamorphed into each other?"

"Brilliant deduction," said Tonks-Harry.

Remus hid a snigger. "I think we should take you back to Headquarters," he said gently.


End file.
